Description
30-minute homemade ricotta is a simple recipe for fresh, creamy ricotta cheese made in under half an hour. This cheese is versatile and great for cooking or spreading.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Pour whole milk and heavy cream into a large, sturdy saucepan. Sprinkle in kosher salt and warm the mixture over medium heat while stirring occasionally until it reaches about 200°F (93°C), just before boiling, which takes around 10-15 minutes.
- Take the pan off the heat and drizzle lemon juice across the hot surface of the milk mixture. Gently stir to ensure even distribution; you will notice curds starting to form almost right away.
- Allow the mixture to sit undisturbed for approximately 10 minutes so that curds can fully develop.
- Prepare a colander with several layers of cheesecloth placed over a large bowl, then carefully ladle in your formed curds while letting whey drain into the bowl below.
- If you prefer firmer ricotta, let it drain for up to an hour; for creamier results, reduce draining time accordingly.
- Once drained to your liking, transfer ricotta into an airtight container for storage in your refrigerator where it stays fresh for up to three days until you’re ready to use it again.
Notes
Using fresh lemon juice is essential for creating curds in your ricotta, so make sure to add it right after removing the milk mixture from heat.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 225 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg